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EU Diplomats Widen Sanctions Against Zimbabwe

October 27, 2009 5:03 PM

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EU Diplomats Widen Sanctions Against Zimbabwe

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The European Union Tuesday tightened sanctions against Zimbabwe
president, Robert Mugabe. The EU foreign ministers added 37 more
people to the EU list of individuals under a visa ban and asset freeze
that already includes the president and members of his inner circle.
Now, for the first time, companies have also been added to the list.
Tendai Maphosa has more in this report from VOA's London News Center.

The
additional sanctions come a day after President Robert Mugabe and
Morgan Tsvangirai of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
agreed to open power sharing talks aimed at solving Zimbabwe's
political crisis.

EU spokesman John Clancy tells VOA this is a
"very positive step," but there is need to maintain pressure on Mr.
Mugabe.

"It's not a simple handshake over a memorandum of understanding
despite us recognizing its importance, that suddenly means the
international community must simply return to business as usual with
Zimbabwe. It's simply not the case. It's very important that the
average citizen in Zimbabwe realizes that the international community
is not simply going to forget the last months of violence and
intimidation that they have had to face coming from the government
authorities," he said.

The EU has refused to recognize the
result of the June 27 presidential run-off poll in which Mr. Mugabe
was the sole candidate. Opposition leader Tsvangirai, who won the first
round in March, withdrew from the run-off citing violence against his
party and supporters.

Earlier this month, an effort by the
British and U.S. governments to impose U.N. Security Council sanctions on
Mr. Mugabe was vetoed by Russia and China.

Clancy stressed that
the European sanctions target individuals responsible for human rights
abuses and not ordinary Zimbabweans. He says the bloc will maintain
humanitarian support for Zimbabwe's needy.

"We would like to see as a
first step the authorities in Zimbabwe allowing humanitarian aid to the
full extent that is should be allowed 100 percent access for
international humanitarian aid workers. Let us not forget that Robert
Mugabe, his government, his authority blocked humanitarian aid to the
civilian population, to the most vulnerable people just days before the
second round of the elections. That situation has not changed," he said.

The
EU first imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe in 2002 citing human rights
abuses and electoral irregularities in the 2002 presidential election.
The sanctions also include an arms and military material embargo.

The
travel ban does not stop Mr. Mugabe from traveling to international
organization meetings such as the United Nations. Earlier this year, he
took part in the summit of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) in Rome.